This Motherless Land by Nikki May

Author:Nikki May [May, Nikki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473591417
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK
Published: 2024-07-18T00:00:00+00:00

~ Liv ~

LIV MANAGED A WHOLE week at Vixens without getting fired. Mainly because the men who worked there were complete dickheads – sharp-suited, obnoxious charlatans who thought they were God’s gift. She tweaked her persona to fit in, sat at reception with big hair, red lips and no bra, flirted with buyers and sellers. They all loved her.

On her second day, she managed to convince a wannabe landlord that a shithole basement flat with mould and ten years on the freehold was a wise investment. He made an offer without viewing and Vixens offered her a full-time job, starting in January. They didn’t mind her getting in late, they all drank in the office and most of them did drugs. On Fridays, at any rate. Of course, she said yes.

But the next Monday, four days before Christmas, her luck ran out. A particularly obnoxious client (and the bar was set very low) called to complain about the family Liv had sent to view her three-bed mews on Tite Street. ‘I’m sure they’ll be there any second,’ said Liv, assuming she was upset they were late. ‘I put them in a cab myself, but you know rush-hour traffic …’

‘They’ve already been. I didn’t let them in. They don’t belong round here – they’re Indian.’ The client spat the word out like it was toxic. ‘This is Chelsea. Not Calcutta.’

Liv heard her mother saying Kate didn’t belong. She heard herself: Aren’t you a pair of dark horses? Guilt, shame and remorse coagulated and came out as rage. ‘You fucking racist bitch, how fucking dare you, she’s worth a hundred of you.’ The whole office sat listening in stunned silence.

Of course, Vixens withdrew the job offer. There was no way they could keep her on.

She spent the next two days gatecrashing office Christmas parties: free drinks, free drugs and anonymous sex. She wasn’t worried about a job. Trisha knew someone who knew someone who worked at Selfridges, was going to have a word, get her into the cosmetics department. Liv did her housemates’ make-up; they all agreed she was as good as any pro. All those years of wanting to be a model were paying dividends, just not the way she’d hoped.

On Christmas Eve, Liv got in at five a.m. to find a note from Becky in their filthy kitchen.

Gone to stay with my aunt in Glasgow for Christmas (don’t worry, she’s not a bampot like my ma). Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Haud Hogmanay.

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